The design promises a substantial overhaul: Wide sidewalks where none exist now, safer intersections, and a raised bike lane along a 1.5-mile street that’s quickly evolving from its industrial past.

Image: RNL

Last night’s presentation showed that the design has improved in some ways.

Six months ago, there were a lot of open questions. Would the bike lane be raised or at street-level with a curb to protect riders? How would the design mitigate conflicts between people biking and people waiting for a bus? Designers answered those questions and unveiled some new pieces on Wednesday.

Intersections With Bike Turn Boxes

Image: RNL

Designers added turn boxes for bikes at some intersections, which make it easier to take left turns in two phases by creating a dedicated space for turning cyclists to stop and wait for the signal to change. They also added green pavement markings at intersections, like crosswalks for bikes, to increase the visibility of crossing cyclists.

A Raised Bike Lane

Image: RNL

This is a big deal: The bike lane on each side of the street will be raised six inches above the roadbed.

Reducing Conflicts at Bus Stops

Image: RNL with orange text from Streetsblog

The new design provides space where people can wait for the bus and board without obstructing the bike lane. There isn’t a bus shelter pictured, but the design can accommodate them — though they aren’t yet funded.

If there’s one shortcoming in the plan, it’s the design of some intersections that still cater to cars more than people.

Currently, people take their life into their hands crossing Brighton. The project includes three new signalized crossings — including a push-button signal for pedestrians at 33rd — and several new crosswalks that will also help. But the newest design includes touches at some intersections mainly to keep cars moving.

At 36th and 40th streets, for instance, there will be no designated way to cross Brighton, which has a postedspeed limit of 35 mph. Based on the simulated flyover video, it also looks like the corners at several intersections have wide radii, which can create hazards for people walking and biking since drivers can turn without slowing down that much.

Yeah from my experience intersections are Denver’s Achilles heel. They keep focusing on lanes and width of streets but then intersection safety is an after thought. Very simple solutions would help.

“No turn on red” signs at busy intersections. Giving walkers the go ahead a couple seconds before giving cars the green. Right turns lanes that are signaled.Then when they have capital improvements like in this instance bump out the curbs.

Walter Crunch

All this work and no dutch style intersections. This street will promote high speed and bikes and Peds will get right hooked. Salt lake did them and the world didn’t end. Plus…the ped sidewalks are too narrow for any passing with all the trees and barriers. So…two lanes for traffic and one lane for Peds. Wow. 5 person family walking abreast? Nope! Only single millenials with no strollers and nobody in a wheelchair.

Geeze…this is what consultants come up with in 2015?

LevelHead

I love the fully protected sections of the bike lane, don’t care for the sections that are pushed directly next to the traffic. I agree it’s a shame dutch style protected intersections were not utilized.

After the Global Climate Strike, where students in Colorado and around the world demanded climate action, elected officials at all levels of Colorado government appear to be shrugging their shoulders, offering political agendas that fail to envision a better transportation future.

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